Back on board
by Rose-Aki
Summary: After visiting Zoro's home village, the swordsman and navigator come back to the ship to tell their friends about their adventure and their new relationship. Will everyone accept their new bond and what is the reaction of a certain cook? Sequel to 'The place I call home' Zoro/Nami


A/N: First of all I really want to thank Amazing Pink for motivating me to write this sequel, so this story is dedicated to you. Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement. Now I hope you all enjoy my story :)

* * *

Zoro gave his home island one last look and watched it disappear in the distance. This journey had been very emotional and it seemed almost like a dream. Before coming back home he had a lot on his mind, but seeing his sensei, who he considered a father, and being around the place he called home had helped his heart decide what it wanted.

He had finally realized what the woman, who was navigating their ship through the dangerous sea, mean to him. However now that they would go back to the crew he asked himself if anything would change between them. During their time here they had gotten so close and he didn't want to loose the relationship they had built. It was bothering him immensely, but there was only one way to reassure himself that this wouldn't happen and that was talking to Nami. Sighing deeply he turned to her. He wasn't good with words at all and he was clueless when it came to women. This were two bad makings for this talk, but it was probably the only way to figure this out.

"We need to talk."

The navigator immediately felt her heart drop at those words and she gripped the ruder tighter. This were the words no woman wanted to hear. Often enough she had witnessed this sentence being the initiation for a break-up and she feared that Zoro was about to do just that. Their time together had seemed too good to be true, but Nami had hoped with all her heart that their relationship would stay this way. She really loved Zoro and she had thought that he loved her as well. Him opening up to her, his indirect confession and finally their kiss, that had to mean something right? He wouldn't just dismiss her feelings like that, would he? These thoughts alone made her heart squeeze painfully and she found herself feeling more vulnerable than ever.

"You want to break up with me." She whispered, barely able to find her voice.

"What? No, that is not what I meant." He quickly said and pulled her into his arms to reassure her. This talk hadn't even begun and he was already messing it up. He cursed himself silently and tried again, not less clumsy. "It's obvious that things have changed between us, so how should we go from here?"

Nami sighed in relief at his words and looked up at him. It was clear how uneasy he was with talking about his feelings, but she valued that he was trying his best. A man like Zoro was more for showing his feelings and this must be hard for him. He was letting her decided, but she wanted to take his opinion in consideration as well. They were together, so they would make the decisions about their relationship together.

"I want to be with you and I don't want our relationship to change to what it was before we came here." She paused for a moment and shared her only concern. "The only question is, should we tell the crew about us?"

"They are our family, so we tell them."

Of course that would be his answer. Zoro always treasured their friendships and he was always honest with everyone. Nami was alright with that, but how would their friends react? Robin probably already knew about her feelings for Zoro, after all this woman almost knew everything even before the person who was involved knew it and Franky would surely end up crying from happiness. Chopper and Luffy wouldn't understand the meaning of a romantic relationship while Brook would make an inappropriate joke and Usopp would start a tale of his first love. That left only Sanji. The cook claimed to love her, but Nami was sure that he loved every women like that, though that didn't mean that he would just accept their relationship. However no matter what their reactions would be, it was only right to tell their friends about them.

"Okay."

"Then let's call it a night." The swordsman finally said after a while.

This night they spent in each others arms and Nami couldn't help but wonder if they would continue doing this when they were back on the ship. Zoro wouldn't be openly affectionate, she was sure of that and especially not in front of the crew. She had gotten so used to having him only to herself this past week that she didn't want him to train for hours alone or hang around the crew with her not around. Sure, they both would need their space from time to time, but she just wanted to have him close, especially to fall asleep to his heartbeat and wake up to see his face first thing in the morning. Was that too much to wish for? As if sensing her worries Zoro's deep voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

"What are you thinking about woman?"

"It's just that I'm worried about how our relationship will develop when we're back on the ship." She said almost shyly.

"We'll work it out as we go, trust me." These words were spoken with so much confidence that Nami couldn't help but believe him. She trusted him with her life and she loved him. He wouldn't let her down and they were both new to this, which meant that they were on the same level with relationship experience. They would make this work. With this reassurance she leaned up and gave him a soft goodnight kiss.

The next day was spent sailing and Nami enjoyed the last few hours they had alone together. In the evening the Sunny came into view and the navigator knew that now they had to face their friends and tell them about the new development in their friendship.

Of course were their friends already waiting for them, Luffy more than excited to hear of their new adventures, but when the two pirates entered the ship with Zoro's arm around Nami's waist his questions stayed unasked.

Zoro was aware that the whole crew was watching where his arm around Nami's waist lay, but he had wanted to give his navigator some kind of reassurance that he was standing to their new relationship. Before they had left the small ship he had realized how nervous she was and this was the only gesture that he was comfortable enough to do in front of their friends. He could feel that her nervousness was still there and when he looked at her, she smiled shyly at him. It wasn't like Nami at all to feel like this, but Zoro could understand why she wasn't her normal confident self under this circumstances, so it was him who ended up announcing their relationship.

"We're together." Was his simple explanation. He was never fond of saying more than was necessary.

"That's fine." Their captain smiled brightly, happy for his friends.

"He might not have a problem with it, but I have idiot." The cook, who had finally overcome the shock, spoke up. Despite the insult he sounded more serious than angry.

"If you're searching for a fight you have found one." Zoro's tone matched his.

"But not on the Sunny, you'll end up destroying it." Franky insisted, obviously realizing the seriousness between the two men.

"Then let's fight in the forest over there."

Zoro nodded in agreement and the two made their way to the forest.

Nami watched them leave with a thoughtful look before the rest of her friends now focused on her. While Luffy wanted to know more about the adventure they had experience on their journey, Usopp interrupted her in the middle of telling it and told a tail of his own. Brook ended up with another inappropriate question and Franky tearfully congratulated her on her relationship with Zoro.

After an hour of this craziness unfolding Nami walked away from her friends to watch over the railing. It didn't take long for Robin to join her, clearly seeing how concerned the navigator was.

"What is bothering you miss navigator?"

"Do you think they are alright?" Nami asked, looking worried at the forest where the two men disappeared to hours ago.

"Well, they might never come back and fight until the end." Robin said with a serious face.

"Robin." Nami shook her head at her friend. She always came up with things like this, but the navigator was used to it by now. "It's not like they don't fight all the time, but they just looked so serious."

"Sanji is very protective of us women, so that could be the reason for his behavior. He has the best intentions and probably just wants to make sure that Zoro will treat you right. My knowledge of men and their habits is limited, but maybe fighting is their way of communicating." Robin mused.

"You could be right."

The archaeologist's words convinced Nami, but she still couldn't help but look thoughtfully to the forest. Sanji was one of her closest friends and she loved Zoro. She had known from the beginning that the cook wouldn't take the news greatly but his reaction had still surprised her. They were all friends and no matter how much the two men fought, on the battlefield they worked well together and trusted each other with their lives. Could this really be their way of talking and understanding each other?

In the forest the fight was slowly coming to an end. Both had agreed on not using their attacks or weapons and just do a good old fistfight. No matter how much they would deny it if anyone would ask them, they didn't really want to hurt each other badly. Their friendship might be a weird one, but they were still part of the same crew.

After hours they had both landed a few powerful punches to each others face and both were exhausted when Sanji finally came to terms with his Nami-swan and the swordsman loving each other. Sighing he light the last cigarette in the box, facing Zoro with a serious expression on his face.

"If you hurt her, I'll throw your swords into the sea and you right after them." Sanji threatened.

"You would never be able to move me, let alone throw me. But for the record you will have no reason to do that because there is no way I would hurt her." Zoro smirked confidently at him.

"Let's go back to the ship, I'm out of cigarettes."

"Yeah, I could use some sake." The swordsman agreed.

When they arrived back at the ship they were greeted by Luffy with a big smile.

"Are you done fighting?"

"Yeah, I clearly won against the stupid cook." Zoro announced.

"What was that idiot?" Sanji countered angrily.

This time they were back to bickering instead of the serious tension that had been between them when they had left the ship.

"Then let's have a party. Sanji prepare the meat." Luffy laughed happily, glad that he had a reason to eat and drink, not that the Straw Hats ever needed one.

It seemed that everything was back to normal, Luffy almost eating all the meat by himself, Robin and Franky deep in conversation, Chopper and Usopp dancing to Brook's music and Sanji and Zoro bickering. Nami watched her friends with a smile on her face. Their friends had accepted their relationship, each in their own way and even Sanji was finally alright with it.

Later that evening when it was just them sharing the last sake, Nami was happy that Zoro had been right, everything worked out in the end. There were surely some things they had to talk about in their relationship, but what mattered the most was that they loved each other and their family accepted the new development between them. There was only one thing left to do this evening and that was kissing the man that held her heart, so Nami leaned up and just did that.

A/N: Please review and tell me what you think :)


End file.
